It's a great day out while raising funds for a very worthwhile cause.
The health Foundation has announced the 14th Annual Charity Golf Classic for Health will be held on Thursday, June 13 at the Good Spirit Lake Golf and Family Resort, with an 11 a.m. shotgun start.
"We have two goals for this tournament. The first is to put on a premiere golf event, one of the best in Saskatchewan. The second is to raise funds to help our medical
professionals provide the best possible healthcare to our families, friends and neighbours here in east central Saskatchewan" says Jerry Jemieff, chair of the 2013 Charity Golf Classic organizing committee.
"This is the 14th year for this tournament. It is a very good tournament, the players and the sponsors like the way it is run so we aren't planning any big changes - just a few little extra's to add a little more fun into the day," adds Jemieff.
"In the 13 years of the Charity Golf Classic, $930,000 has been raised and used to purchase medical equipment. Last year the golfers did an amazing job raising over $95,000; that's an average of about $660 raised by each golfer."
As a bit of an incentive CAA Travel Saskatchewan and our sponsors are helping us offer great prizes and trips again this year. First prize this year, which goes to the golfer raising the most money, is two days at a PGA Tour event followed by a seven day Cruise with Holland America.
"CAA Travel Saskatchewan has donated the top prize to the golfer raising the most money for the last 11 years, and we are very pleased to continue sponsoring the main prize," says Linda Koroluk, Manager of CAA Travel in Yorkton. "This is a great tournament; all the proceeds are used to buy new medical equipment and if we can encourage the golfers to compete and try to raise more funds in order to win a great prize that we provide - that's wonderful. The real winners are the residents of our area who will have good equipment in our healthcare facilities."
Sponsorship covers the entire cost of the tournament and the prizes, which mean 100 per cent of the money golfers' raise goes toward medical equipment or items for patient care and comfort. The Charity Golf Classic buys something for every healthcare facility in the Sunrise Health Region.
"The Charity Golf Classic organizing committee is made up primarily of volunteers from the Presenting Sponsors," adds Jerry Jemieff, "and I would like to recognize and thank our presenting sponsors: Mosaic Potash Esterhazy, SaskTel, LDM Foods Ltd., and the Credit Unions of East Central Saskatchewan."
"This year again, there will be 144 golfers from all over this region collecting pledges and raising money for healthcare in our local communities. We ask everyone to once again support the golfers who will be seeking pledges. 100 per cent of the money pledged to golfers will be invested in needed equipment."
Ross Fisher, Executive Director of The Health Foundation adds, "Last year 1,643 individuals made pledges to golfers. That is a huge number of people participating in one event. The Charity Golf Classic is unlike many of the projects The Health Foundation takes on in that it doesn't raise money for a major piece of equipment. Instead we buy something for each facility in the health region. That might be a hospital bed, or a vital signs monitor, or a blood analyzer. Someone you know, in your own community, is likely to use a piece of medical equipment this golf tournament buys before the end of the year."
"We think the fact the money goes right back into our local communities helps people connect with how the Charity Golf Classic is very much local, and very much about people. We hope that will help people to be generous again this year when a golfer approaches them for a pledge," concludes Jemieff.
